Semiconductors underpin every little thing from smartphones to electrical autos and renewable power techniques. Secure and numerous provide chains are important for financial resilience and technological management.
Under the UK-Bulgaria Strategic Partnership, the Science and Technology Network (STN) and Department for Business and Trade (DBT) have related UK experience with Bulgaria’s ambitions beneath the EU Chips Act 2023 and its fast-growing auto electronics sector.
This collaboration is creating alternatives for innovation, funding, and abilities growth, strengthening bilateral ties and supporting Bulgaria’s efforts to place itself as a aggressive participant in Europe’s semiconductor and automotive expertise panorama.
How the Science and Technology Network added worth
The Science and Technology Network (STN) has served as a trusted bridge between authorities, academia, and trade within the UK and Bulgaria – strengthening mutual understanding and unlocking alternatives for collaboration.
A high-level roundtable in Sofia in 2024 hosted by British Embassy Sofia introduced collectively UK and Bulgarian authorities, academia, and trade leaders to focus on alternatives. STN adopted this up by organising a examine go to to Scotland in March 2025, the place Bulgarian stakeholders skilled the UK’s world-class factories and coaching fashions first-hand.
Finally, a UK commerce mission to Bulgaria in November 2025 showcased the nation’s rising semiconductor ecosystem together with each Bulgarian innovators and world gamers investing within the Bulgarian market, attracting UK innovators to discover partnerships.
The affect
As a results of the collection of actions, STN has facilitated:
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growth of a €350 million funding Green Silicon Carbide wafer manufacturing facility, delivering £10.5 million UK export wins and advancing next-generation supplies
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a analysis MoU between Glasgow and Sofia Universities, enabling joint tasks and expertise trade
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an trade MoU between TechWorks UK and Bulgaria’s BASEL, strengthening sector ties
The subsequent part will give attention to launching the Green Silicon Carbide manufacturing facility in Bulgaria, deepening analysis and growth partnerships, and increasing abilities initiatives.
By linking UK compound semiconductor experience with Bulgaria’s manufacturing capability, STN has helped create the inspiration for creating longer-term collaboration potential in each analysis and growth and alternatives for enterprise funding. By doing so, partnerships can:
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Supply Chain Security: Diversifying manufacturing inside Europe strengthens provide chain resilience and mitigates geopolitical dangers.
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Innovation Acceleration: Co-located analysis and growth hubs and factories create an ecosystem for speedy prototyping and commercialisation of next-generation supplies like Silicon Carbide.
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Talent Pipeline: Joint coaching packages and educational exchanges will assist shut the talents hole in a sector going through world shortages.
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Help facilitate supportive coverage frameworks that may advance worldwide partnerships.
Why Bulgaria?
Bulgaria is a gateway to Eastern markets and key manufacturing hub in Southeast Europe. The nation now produces about 80% of sensors utilized in European vehicles and hosts state-of-the-art analysis and growth centres and good factories (for instance, Melexis in Sofia, Sensata and Schneider Electric in Plovdiv).
The electronics sector is projected to develop from roughly €2.3 billion in 2023 to €2.7 billion by 2028, representing a compound annual development charge of two.9%. Bulgaria’s automotive trade includes round 380 firms using over 80,000 individuals and contributes greater than 10% to Bulgaria’s GDP, making it a key driver of financial development.
The €1 billion EU-backed analysis and growth push and EU Chips Act 2023 ambitions create sturdy partnership potential. All these components showcase Bulgaria as an vital hub within the rising European provide chain for semiconductors and chip manufacture.